Short-haired, somber, supporting actor capable of projecting both menace and sympathy, Jonathan Banks acted in Los Angeles for more than a decade before winning notice as Zack, Victor Maitland's eager henchman in "Beverly Hills Cop" (1984), and as Frank McPike, Ken Wahl's cynical boss in "Wiseguy" (CBS, 1987-91).

Banks was originally involved in the theater; he had dropped out of Indiana University to stage manage a road company of "Hair." When the company toured Australia, he stayed Down Under, directing and managing companies of "Grease" and "Jesus Christ Superstar". He returned to the US and